Hallowe’en 2008

This year’s theme was The Wizard of Oz. I hacked up a rear projection TV that I got off of Craigslist to be the Great and Powerful Oz. The original intent was to use the then working TV to present the image from a camera. Unfortunately, the moment I started tweaking the gain controls to get a bright and colorful image the high voltage supply popped!

No worries though as I was able to strip out the interior entirely and utilize a presentation projector I borrowed from work.

. . .

In addition to the projector I had a couple of brass lanterns mounted to the sides of the TV and a mic and amplifier connect to the speakers. I also fabricated some simple propane torches for the top with bit of old bed frame and black iron pipe. These were connected to a regulator and valve to allow me to make them flair up on command.

Shown here is just the test, I had two complete circuits, one high pressure and one low pressure.

Fire and children don’t mix well so I put the whole rig up on my flatbed trailer to keep the flames well out of reach of, well, anything.

And of course I needed a curtain to hide behind.

The Scarecrow pointed the way and had a CD player and speakers inside playing If I Only Had a Brain on a loop.

The yellow brick road was drawn on the driveway with chalk.

The full view with the Witch’s lair to the left.

The Great and Powerful Jake.

Everything is better with fire!

This was just a test video but I ran out of time and never re-shot it. I was far greater and more terrible for the kiddos!

The Witch’s lair blocked our usual doorway to direct the kids to Oz and the curtain. It is a shame we did not have a Toto to pull the curtain back on que!